Newsday: Personal Ties Feed Local Pakistani Relief Effort

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"The timing of the catastrophic earthquake, during the holy month of Ramadan, has brought special sadness, as well as opportunities," said Azeem Khan, assistant secretary-general of the Queens-based Islamic Circle of North America. "At every single mosque, the entire community is gathering every night, so this gives us an opportunity to reach out to them," he said.

The fact that most Muslims are fasting from sunrise to sunset every day, including those digging out the dead and wounded, "is giving us added spiritual sustenance," Khan said.